Haven't read the article yet, just the comments...

...but back in the day I had a 20gig Archos Jukebox that kicked ass equally if not more than perfectly well at the time, and since I always typically customize my vehicles to unusual and unique extents just because that's how I am and make things special and cool and better and different and unique and desired similar-enough-to-but-far-enough-better than the status quo, so it wasn't a big deal because my car was already custom wired with the 1/8" inch audio input jack tapped into the antenna through a modulator so all I had to do was build a custom holder for it in my car because I used it there so much. These days I have an iPod that is impressive in the size and it's also perfectly-acceptable-enough-for-most-uses-I-guess design, not too fond of the click wheel, but I'm a huge fan of design and Apple gets points for style on the branding and look...though it is a little awkward with all of us and it existing under the American empire umbrella that still has some really interesting ancient world government design control constructs going on...so I dunno...

But it's funny as hell that they went there...and this conversation (the threads I've read thus far), seems quite due if not overdue all things considered...

iPhone Users Are About to Be Screwed Over - John C. Dvorak
pcmag.com — The addition of the NFC chip to the iPhone isn't for easy credit card purchases, but so the phone companies can control your financial transactions. Be warned. 2 days ago
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studiopenguin1 day 18 hr ago
+105 / -9
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Is this the same John Dvorak who predicted the iPhone would be stillborn, the iPod would never retain market share, WiFi would be a gimmick, and the mouse would never catch on? Time to buy Apple stock.
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wolfghost1 day 17 hr ago
+14 / -32
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On the mouse prediction, you are repeating a false myth. John C. Dvorak's exact words in 1984 were "The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a 'mouse'. There is no evidence that people want to use these things."

Until 1984, the mouse only existed in labs (experimental) and since it was released for the first time to consumers, there was no history (evidence) to prove anyone wanted a mouse. Where in his statement do you see a prediction that it would never catch on?
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studiopenguin1 day 17 hr ago
+71 / -4
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"Apple makes the arrogant assumption of thinking that it knows what you want and need. It, unfortunately, leaves the 'why' out of the equation — as in 'why would I want this?' The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a 'mouse'. There is no evidence that people want to use these things."
-- John Dvorak, The San Francisco Examiner, 2/19/1984 (via Wikiquote)

You left out a bit of important context there.
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el_taco1 day 16 hr ago
+1 / -19
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If apple didn't release the mouse i'd bet it would have pushed IBM's nub or touchscreens.
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seroevo1 day 16 hr ago
+13 / -20
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He's still right in that quote, at least about Apple. Apple does think it knows what you want and need.

If anything, we just take the advantages alongside the limitations. I haven't been truly happy with a piece of technology ever, from any manufacturer. Within hours I'll find completely arbitrary restrictions that limit how I had intended to use the product.
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FrankenMac1 day 15 hr ago
+25 / -5
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Prove them wrong. Don't buy anything from Apple! That will fix them. Dvorak has never been right, and he says provocative things because he's a click-whore.
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seroevo1 day 15 hr ago
+10 / -4
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It's not Apple specifically I have this problem with. I have it with all technological products.

Many companies think they know - or just try to tell you - what you want or need. He just happened to mention Apple specifically given the context, and is right in that respect. They do that.

gdj116 hr 31 min ago
+7 / -2
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Remember when Apple removed floppy drives and everyone freaked out? Somebody needs to take initiative.
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TomHanks44 hr 22 min ago
+6 / -3
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you mean when Apple dropped support, causing many users to be inconvenienced, while the PC world slowly phased them out so people could transition at their own pace? yeah, i remember that.

gdj111 hr 40 min ago
+2 / -2
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if it were up to you computers would have record players in them.

misterdeerwood1 hr 8 min ago
+3 / -2
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Apple has a history of taking initiative. To ensure that people got used to a mouse (hard to believe, people back then thought it was too difficult), they left out arrow keys on their early Macs. Very controversial back then, but it did get people to use the mouse.

They were the first to use color monitors, first to stop making CRT monitors, to cease including floppy drives, the first to use a color other than beige for their cases, first to employ fonts, first to create an MP3 player that could hold thousands of songs, first to create a touchscreen phone (despite what haters will point out, the LG Prada was a ripoff of the iPhone, having been in development 2 years less), first to use a new, leaner OS (iOS) for a tablet, first to do away with the stylus.

Here's more... http://www.jagshouse.com/firsts.html

Yeah, Apple thinks it knows what we want before we do. Arrogant, sure. You could also call it risky, since Apple's has bet the house on a lot of its decisions. Luckily, they seem to be right most of the time.

mkautz20 min ago
+2 / -1
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Are you kidding me? You do realize that PCs have given you the option to order them sans-floppy long before the G3 hit the shelves yes?

To misterdeerwood: You have this weird notion that Apple started some "trends" in the tech field but unlike in the world of Apple, there have been so many more choices in the field of PCs that it's very difficult to pin-point who was the first company to offer what. For example, a company called DakTech offered Black cases long before the iMacs hit the shelves. HP is usually credited with the first touch-screen device capable of a phone call. Before the iPod was the Creative Nomad, capable of holding thousands of songs. HP developed a touchscreen device in 2005, long before the iPad.

Long story short, you're a tool. A tool who can parrot what Steve Jobs tells you to say. Congratulations. You know nothing of the history of technology, the origin of trends, the development of products and how they evolved or where Apple fits in the whole picture. Do your research next time you think you need to tell the world how Apple 'innovated' before everyone else.

That cute link you post also probably needs to cite some of their claims as there are a host of inaccuracies in them.

superkendall1 day 14 hr ago
+10 / -5
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But the context doesn't change the meaning of the original statement. Dvorak still thought no-one would want to use a mouse, and was angry at Apple just for shipping one, even though you could buy other computers if you didn't want a mouse.